Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf

The Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB) is the municipal transport company of Amsterdam. As of 2007, the GVB is independent corporation wholly owned by the city of Amsterdam.

History

The forerunner of the GVB, the Gemeentetram Amsterdam (GTA) (municipal tram network), was established in 1900 by the city after it acquired a private tram company. In 1925, it introduced its first bus line. In 1943, the GVB acquired its current form when Gemeentetram merged with Gemeenteveren Amsterdam, the municipal ferry company.

Network

The GVB operates a number public transportation networks in and around the city of Amsterdam, including:

*3 metro lines, partly elevated, no level crossings.
*1 light rail (sneltram = fast tram) line to the neighboring town Amstelveen, partly using metro tracks, partly on the street with its own lanes, andwith level crossings (Route 51).
*17 tram routes, on street, partly mixed with all other traffic, partly on lanes shared with buses and taxis, and partly on separate lanes.
*many bus routs; buses often mix with other traffic, but sometimes on lanes shared with trams and taxis, or for buses only.
*Several ferries across the IJ; at least one is frequent, operating 24 hours a day, free of charge.

In addition, a new metro line, the North/South line, is under construction and is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Metro

(standard gauge (1.435 m))

*Amsterdam, Diemen, Ouder-Amstel
**power 750 volt DC

Network

Line 50 (green)

Line 53 (red)

Line 54 (yellow)

Tram/light rail

(standard gauge (1.435 m))
*Amsterdam, Diemen, Amstelveen
**power 600 volt DC
**the line to Amstelveen partly runs on metro track, therefore the light rail vehicles on this line are capable of using both 600 volt DC and 750 volt DC
**tram routes
***1 Amsterdam Centraal (Centraal Station or CS) - Osdorp De Aker
***2 CS - Nieuw Sloten
***3 Zoutkeetsgracht - Muiderpoort station
***4 CS - Rai NS
***5 CS - Amstelveen Binnenhof
***7 Slotermeer - Leidseplein - Flevopark
***9 CS - Diemen Sniep
***10 Van Hallstraat - Azartplein
***12 Amstel station - Station Sloterdijk
***13 CS - Geuzenveld Lambertus Zijlplein
***14 Slotermeer - Dam - Flevopark
***16 CS - Free University Medical Center (Vrije Universiteit Medisch Centrum or VUMC)
***17 CS - Osdorp Dijkgraafplein
***24 CS - VUMC
***25 Passenger Terminal - CS - Pres. Kennedylaan
***26 CS - IJburg

Route 6 (Plantage Parklaan - Leidseplein - VUMC) was discontinued in 2006.

**Recent Projects:
***IJ-line (26) (opened in May 2005)
***Cargo tram (pilot from January 2007)
***155 new Combino trams from Siemens AG Verkehrstechnik, built in 2002-200]

Ticketing

The Amsterdam public transport network falls under the National Tariff System of the Netherlands and the GVB has a few of its own tickets, notably the 24-, 48- and 72- hour tickets.

External links

* [http://www.gvb.nl/english/Pages/default.aspx GVB (official)] English language
* [http://www.gvb.nl/Pages/default.aspx GVB (official)] Dutch language
* [http://www.reed.edu/~reyn/Amsterdam.tram-map.gifTram map]
* [http://sporvognsrejser.dk/holland/amsterdam/ Tram Travels (Sporvognsrejser): GVB]
* [http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/ams/amsterdm.htm UrbanRail.Net]